Mars Wrigley fined after workers fall into chocolate mixing tank in Pennsylvania, US

Mars Wrigley has been fined a total of $14,500 from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) this week, following an incident in which two workers fell into a chocolate mixing tank at its plant in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania, US, last June, reports Neill Barston.

In its assessment of the case, the organisation categorised the case as ‘serious,’ with local media reporting that the external workers involved had to be rescued with holes being drilled into the chocolate tank concerned.

Emergency services were called to the scene to assist with the incident, which has resulted in the company conducting a safety review.

The OSHA report stated: “Employees of an outside employer, I.K. Stoltzfus Service Corp., cleaned tanks, including the Dove chocolate batching 20 micron tank, owned by the onsite/host employer, Mars Wrigley. The host employer did not provide the outside employer with the correct energy control procedure or work authorisation permit that included verification of flowable material isolation given the permitted entry, on or about June 9, 2022 Abatement certification required within 10 days after abatement date. The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, date and method of abatement, and states employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.

In response, Mars issued a statement, which read: “As always, we appreciate the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s collaborative approach to working with us to conduct the after-action review.”